My Shrinking Violet
by KeziaVolition
Summary: A collection of tales of the lives and love of the Plegian tactician and the Feroxian dancer. A more episodic take on the 100 theme challenge, featuring Robin and Olivia from Fire Emblem: Awakening. (Spoilers will be tagged as necessary)
1. Chapter 1 - Introduction

1\. Introduction (Warning: Spoilers for up to Chapter 10 - Renewal in _Fire Emblem: Awakening_ )

One of the most infamous dates in history for the Halidom of Ylisse and the Theocratic Republic of Plegia started out like so many other days. The sky was bright and clear, not one cloud dotted the vast stretch sea of blue. No major weather abnormalities were reported across the entire continent. In fact, the temperature was anything but out of the ordinary for the month of April. By all means it was a calm, idyllic spring day. If this day were like any other day, then nobody would have given it a second thought. It would be another insignificant date lost to time.

However, this was the date that marked a turning point for the countries of both Ylisse and Plegia. Two bitter enemies that were scarred by wars long since past, yet continued to be plagued by the shadows of their antiquity. The prejudice, nationalism, and religious zealotry that characterized the years following proved to be fertile ground for the wounds of decade long conflict to continue to fester. Underneath the deceitful tranquility that characterized this unremarkable day, the generation long conflict that had been steadily boiling was about to reach the point of eruption.

In the future, this date became a painful reminder to the citizens of both countries of the wars that led to the deaths of countless innocents and almost consumed the two nations as a whole. Those who were alive during that period of history knew exactly where he or she were and what they were doing when they first heard of the news. Whether they had just gotten home from shopping at the local market, were in school, or were at the bar drinking a pint with their friends, everybody old enough to remember what happened had a story to share. And for one man, if asked, he could tell you in painstaking detail everything that you could ever want to know about the date that now lives in infamy. He could, because he was there at the forefront when it happened.

In the far outreaches of the despondent climate of the Plegian desert, the benevolent and deeply-loved Exalt of Ylisse, Emmeryn, had met her end in the sands of the barren desert. She was executed without trial, or a reason to arrest her in the first place by the order of Gangrel, the Mad King of Plegia. A rescue was organized by the Ylissean militia group known as the Shepherds led by her brother, Prince Chrom, and coordinated by Robin, the tactician of the Shepherds. Assisted by the Ylissean Armed Forces, among which included the elite squadron of Ylisse's Pegasus Knight force, and the infantry of their neighboring ally of Regna Ferox, the Shepherds fought tooth and nail through unfamiliar, scorching desert and waves of Plegian soldiers in a desperate attempt to save their queen.

But even with the combined might of two countries's fighting forces, they were unable to stop the execution in time. Countless Ylissean and Feroxian soldiers had lost their lives during the trek to Plegia. The Pegasus Knights had met a particularly grisly end: slain in cold blood by Risen archers before they had a chance to save Emmeryn from the executioner's perch. While none of the Shepherds died while traveling to Plegia, nor in the fight leading up to the execution, the aftermath of that fateful day was much worse than if any of them did.

As the story goes, Gangrel's demands to hand over the Fire Emblem in exchange for the Exalt's life were about to be met had it not been for the Exalt herself silencing the whole congregation. Eyewitnesses to the event described the scene as becoming dead quiet aside from the nonsensical ramblings of the mad king. Even the previously rowdy Plegian crowd had stopped to listen. The Exalt in that moment looked like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders as she smiled down from atop the the executioner's perch at her brother, sister, and all who had gathered. She then gave her final address, seemingly her own eulogy, speaking to not her own people, but rather the citizens of Plegia. She called for the entire nation to end the cycle of war and hatred, as it would win them nothing but heartache and pain. She stepped closer to the edge and told the crowd that gathered "...to see how one selfless act has the power to change the world," before taking another step, and willingly fell off the cliff.

In that moment, time slowed down to a crawl. The screams that filled the arena of soldiers and citizens of Ylissean, Feroxian, and Plegian origin watching as the Exalt fell were deafening. Above all, the loudest of them all had to be that of Prince Chrom and Princess Lissa. Most people could do nothing but watch in shock or scream in terror. Princess Lissa had collapsed to the ground and covered her ears, screaming in fear. Many others followed suit and also could not help but break down in tears. However the prince, along with a few other brave souls, had rushed forward in a hopeless attempt to break her fall. The volume of the mass congregation of screams and utter discord grew so intense that the impact of Emmeryn's fall could not be heard.

Chaos immediately followed as soon as the exalt hit the ground. King Gangrel was beside himself with laughter, taking sick pleasure in her death, although lamenting that it wasn't nearly as bloody enough. He ordered his disoriented army into immediate battle with the Ylissean forces again. During the panic and confusion that followed the execution, the Plegian forces clumsily engaged the disheartened Ylissean-Feroxian army. Miraculously, no deaths were recorded at this time. If it hadn't been for the careful planning of Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia of Regna Ferox securing an escape route, the Shepherds would have likely met the same fate as their queen.

It wasn't until long after the Shepherds had fled the execution did they hear that the news spread quickly across all of Ylisse, Plegia, and beyond the continent: The Halidom of Ylisse had lost one of it's greatest exalts. Prince Chrom and Princess Lissa lost their sister. And the world lost one of it's most beautiful, kind-hearted souls.

* * *

 _The following account is that of the Shepherds' personal escape from Plegia immediately following the execution of Exalt Emmeryn. While there exists multiple stories from different primary sources, this is the one that is most widely known amongst the general public and confirmed as mostly accurate by former members of the Shepherds_.

After regretfully parting ways with the main Ylissean force and his own Feroxian troops, Khan Basilio led the Shepherds out of the Plegian Castle courtyard, across patches of desert, and into the Midmire, a canyon situated west of the castle. The area was notorious for being constructed out of the remains of the Fell Dragon, Grima himself, who had been slain by the First Exalt of Ylisse thousands of years prior. Five large rock formations stood in the center and comprised the main structure of the ravine. The formations were evenly spaced out, but close together enough to provide little room for movement.

The ribs of the Fell Dragon decorated around the formations. each one was rotten and showed thousands of years of wear, but they still somehow remained wickedly sharp. They dangled overhead, perhaps only a hundred feet from the ground. Each time the wind howled, the bones were buffeted by the strong gusts. They creaked ominously, the sound reverberating across the entire ravine, as they threatened to break off and impale anybody unlucky enough to be caught underneath.

Despite the danger of the Midmire, the Shepherds could not afford to pick a better option, and plunged deep into the belly of the skeletalized draconid.

"Keep moving!" Basilio yelled. "We can't let the Plegians catch up! Our way out is just up ahead. Let's GO, GO, GO!".

Suddenly, the darkening sky opened up and unleashed a full-on torrential downpour of rain. The rain quickly turned the dusty canyon into a pit of boggy marshland. It became difficult to see and walk as the Shepherds squinted through the rain and struggled to move as quickly as possible. The darkness gave a dreadful feeling to the already terrifying boneyard. The creaking of the bones still echoed throughout the canyon, but now they could no longer be seen. The only light source they had were a few meager lanterns that shone weakly and illuminated the path ahead poorly. Sometimes, lightning struck and thunder rolled across the Midmire as it briefly became illuminated by the strike. But the little pathway that it revealed only reminded the Shepherds of their grim situation.

Although the Fell Dragon had been slain thousands of years ago, his presence was all but gone. Plegia Castle was visible in the distance, sitting atop of the skull of the Fell Dragon. The skull seemed to smile at the Shepherds as they made their way through the Midmire, as if it was taunting them of their failures.

Had it not been for the threat of the Plegian army hot on their trail, the trek through the Fell Dragon's resting place felt to the Shepherds as if they were partaking in the exalt's own funeral procession. The bitter taste of failure hung in the air, leaching off of any positive emotions one might have felt. Each Shepherd moved through the boggy terrain awkwardly with the weight of Emmeryn's final sacrifice on their shoulders. The usual vigor and determination on their faces were lost and replaced with despondent expressions.

Lissa's head drooped, her usual cheerfulness gone as silent streams of tears rolled down her cheeks. Both Frederick and Maribelle tried to console her. The stalwart and usually stone-faced knight himself had a pained and sorrowful expression and every step his mount made seemed to hurt him. Maribelle's curly blonde hair was in shambles and she was also clearly in pain. But she put on a brave face and remained steadfast in comforting her best friend.

Both Sully and Stahl rode uncomfortably on their horses. Sully growled and clenched her spear tight, cursing the entire country of Plegia under her breath. Stahl quivered as he tried his best to calm her down. Virion lost his usual grace and sighed deeply as he trudged through the mud. He became increasingly annoyed as his long blue hair stuck to his face and his clothes became ruined.

Vaike's veil of confidence was shattered and he sniffled and heaved uncontrollably. Miriel still looked as serious as ever, but her intellectual poise stiffened with each step she took. Sumia had tears in her eyes and held her hands to her heart as she looked at Chrom and Lissa with pity and sadness. Cordelia rode next to Sumia; the rain turning her red hair to a darker shade as she tightly gripped the reins of her pegasus, trying to keep herself composed, but visibly holding back tears.

Kellam's usual neutral expression turned even more somber as he slowly receded into his heavy armor like a turtle. Lon'qu dropped his head and turned away from the other Shepherds. Ricken's eyes were wide with fear, he clutched his tome tightly to his chest, looking around frantically for any enemies. He found nothing, but his panicked mind made him hear otherwise. Nowi held his hand and tried to calm him down, but she was shaking herself. Gregor stood behind the two and guided them along, acting like a sort of fatherly figure. He held his sword in his hand, ready to protect them from whatever danger might be out there.

Gaius chewed on his lollipop harshly with a look of disgust etched onto his face. Panne also had a similar scowl on her own face. And even the newest recruits to the Shepherds, Tharja and Libra, walked as somberly as the rest of them did. Tharja had put a cloak over her head and refused to make any eye contact with anybody. And Libra bowed his head and quietly uttered a few prayers.

"Hurry! There should be carriages waiting just through the ravine!" Basilio shouted over the rain.

Chrom stood apart from the rest of the group. He had an intense look on his face and his jaw was set as if he was biting something hard. The downpour continued its assault on the other Shepherds as they trudged uncomfortably through the mud. But the rain didn't seem to faze him. He stood still for a moment, looking back at Plegia Castle within the few times lightning stuck.

"Chrom, please!" Robin begged running over to him. Robin's eyes never left the prince ever since they retreated from Plegia Castle. Although he was wet, tired, and heartbroken like the other Shepherds, all Robin could think about now was ensuring the safety of his friends, especially Chrom and Lissa. Robin looked at him with concern, but Chrom wouldn't face him. His blue hair was soaked like everybody else's and covered his face. The added darkness brought on by the clouds made it difficult for Robin to get a good look at him.

"Rrgh..." Chrom spat out with a slight quiver in his voice. "I'm... I'm coming." Both he and Robin picked up the pace and ran to catch up to the rest of the Shepherds and Basilio as the khan continued to lead them towards their escape. It grew harder and harder to see. The rain continued to beat down on the Shepherds, hammering them further into the muck. Replays of that day were going through everybody's mind: Gangrel's threats of war, Emmeryn's public execution atop of the skull of Grima, the Pegasus Knights's murder at the hand of Risen archers summoned by the dark mage Aversa, and most of all, Emmeryn's sacrifice. Chrom uttered something under his breath as they continued to run through the boggy Midmire.

"Quickly!" Basilio shouted. "We're almost… Huh?" He stopped dead in his tracks as a few Plegian soldiers appeared out of the blue right in front of them, brandishing deadly-looking axes. Just like them, the Plegians were also soaked to the bone. Quite literally in fact as their jagged, animal bone armor contrasted greatly against the dark weather to appear more menacing, much like the skeletalized Midmire itself did. Basilio turned around and saw more coming up from behind them holding similar weapons and wearing similar armor. Although faint, he squinted through the rain and saw the silhouettes of more soldiers coming out of hiding places. Basilio could also hear the familiar screech of wyverns nearby in the distance, indicating that a wyvern brigade was somewhere out there. They were completely surrounded.

He cursed. "Plegians! I knew it wouldn't be that easy." Basilio scowled at the Plegian soldiers standing in front of them. He knew that the Shepherds were too exhausted to continue fighting. He himself, despite being in countless battles over his career, was tired as well. While it wasn't in his blood to turn down a challenge from anybody, he had to swallow his pride considering the circumstances. But unfortunately, Basilio couldn't see any other way out of their current predicament. Unless Robin would spontaneously come up with some miracle, they would have to muscle their way through.

Growling under his breath, Basilio turned back to the Shepherds. "They're in our way!" he shouted. "We gotta fight them off!"

"With pleasure," Chrom snarled while withdrawing Falchion from its sheath, the holy blade shining brilliantly despite reflecting no light from the darkness of the storm. Robin faintly noticed Chrom's reflection in Falchion: his serious expression grew even more rigid, his fists were tightly clenched, knuckles turning white, and his eyes had a look of absolute hatred. Chrom was never one to let his emotions get the better of him. He took his self-control very seriously. He had to, he was their leader.

It scared Robin to see his normally affable friend turn into the complete opposite of himself. But what terrified him the most was that Chrom was beginning to get the same murderous look that Gangrel had in his eyes back at Emmeryn's execution. And now, with a wounded spirit, a blade in his hand, and anger filling his veins, Chrom was going headfirst back into battle.

* * *

At the outer edge of the ravine, Basilio's group of caravans lay hidden in the darkness. There were just enough carriages to carry the small militia group of the Shepherds plus their own crew. Thankfully, they were out of sight from any enemies that could potentially notice them, and the sudden thunderstorm provided them with even more camouflage. However, the crew themselves were no more than simple performers. Dancers, gypsies, circus performers, actors, and bards made up the bulk of the group. Regna Ferox's professional armed forces were already knee-deep in combat with Plegian forces. They could not spare a single soldier to help them.

It was a risky move to use a group of amateur soldiers, but it had to do. The Plegian army might not expect anything suspicious out of a simple group of performers traveling through the countryside. Anything that had the smallest possibility of success sounded good at this point. Both Basilio and Flavia knew that when they assembled this group.

The ragtag group of performers were led by a young, pink-haired dancer named Olivia, one of Regna Ferox's finest performers and a good friend of Basilio's. Olivia constantly hurried back and forth between the caravans and the edge of the ravine, keeping checks on the other performers, calming the spooked horses from the sudden thunderstorm, and rechecking to see if they had enough space in the caravans. All the while hoping to see Basilio and the Shepherds emerge from the Midmire so they could make their escape. She was light on her feet and managed to move silently despite the mud and puddles that surrounded her. Unfortunately, her shoes were ruined by her constant movement, filling up with muck and water and coating her feet in the disgusting mixture. The lantern she carried provided little illumination against the growing darkness and downpour brought on by the thunderstorm.

Olivia shivered and held her arms together in a futile attempt to keep warm. One of the other dancers was kind enough to bring her a cloak. It did help shield her from the rain, but it provided no more comfort than a wet towel. Olivia expressed some discomfort from her surroundings and disappointment over her ruined shoes, but they were quickly snuffed as each minute passed, seeing no sign of the khan anywhere.

Her nerves were making her more antsy than ever before. Even worse was that she had recently learned the horrible news of Exalt Emmeryn's death. While Olivia wasn't there to witness it in person, the impact of such an event hit her just as much as if she were. The ruler of their peaceful neighboring country was gone. She felt awful for the prince and princess of Ylisse for losing their sister. And right now she was directly responsible for snuggling them out of enemy territory, no doubt with Plegian soldiers in hot pursuit.

Olivia looked over at the band of performers that accompanied her. She recognized them all as people that she knew from her work as a dancer. They were all incredibly talented at what they did, but still, they were performers. None of them had any combat experience aside from some of the actors who had minimal swordplay training that they learned for theatre performances. Olivia herself could barely hold a sword despite having been trained personally by Basilio.

But here they were, endangering their lives to make sure that the figureheads of both Ylisse and Regna Ferox could escape unharmed. Olivia at first was hesitant to lead such a group. How could she? She had no experience in leading anybody. And in her eyes, she was nothing but a simple dancer from a simple background. How could she be responsible for the lives of all these people? The Khans, the Ylisseans, and her fellow performers. All depending on her.

It was an agonizing decision for Olivia to make. Thinking about the grand scheme of it all made her want to shrink into herself and hide. Or scream. Or even run away. Anything than to literally hold the future of two nations in her hands.

But despite her reservations, Olivia also couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of pride at being assigned this position. Out of all the population of Regna Ferox to choose from, Khan Basilio and Khan Flavia had selected her of all people! Not some decorated general, not a brilliant strategist, not even Lon'qu. It was her. The Khan's trust was not an easy thing to win, Olivia knew this firsthand. So, wanting to prove herself worthy of that trust, she agreed and went along with Flavia and Basilio's plan.

Halfway through her journey though, with the sudden onset of this raging storm, Olivia started to doubt herself again. She walked to the outer edge of the ravine and squinted into the distance. She could see nothing ahead of her. The black void stared right back at her as the rain helped to create a dark, watery abyss. The sound of it pounding down was the only comfort Olivia could take as she stared out in the darkness of the Plegian canyon. Occasionally, lightning would strike and she could briefly see for a moment thanks to the illumination, but all she could see was an open area with giant, skeletalized rock formations in the background. The following roll of thunder also didn't help to calm her nerves either. A pit of ice developed in her stomach as she grew more anxious.

" _Khan Basilio, where are you?"_ she thought.

Suddenly, she heard undecipherable voices and immediately ducked behind a nearby rockpile. Olivia's heart dropped as she slowly looked up and, through the flashing of another lightning strike, saw the defined figures of Plegian soldiers approaching. She put her hands over her mouth and silently gasped.

" _Oh gods…"_

The Plegian soldiers took position about a few hundred feet in front of Olivia, thankfully not noticing her. They had the standard Plegian military uniform of iron weaponry and bone armor. From what she could see, Olivia assumed that these Plegian soldiers were sent to intercept any survivors from the execution. One by one, more soldiers appeared. They all congregated into an open position and seemed to be discussing something amongst themselves. Although whatever it was, it escaped Olivia as she couldn't listen in due to the combined booming of the rain and thunder.

From the crowd that had gathered, one figure stood out to her: a tall, well-built, bald man with a beard that carried a large battle axe at his leg. He wore no armor other than massive, spiked shoulder pads that were made of bone, stylized much like the other Plegians. But from the way the man carried himself, he seemed to be confident enough that he did not need much to protect himself. His face was the worst part: He had sharp, piercing eyes that were like that of a hawk. The cold, emotionless expression on his face implied that he had no qualms with the daily murder a soldier's job required. And to top it off, a large, ugly scar was etched along the left side of his face, a symbolic accolade of his past victories and brutality. From the looks of it, this man seemed to be the leader of the soldiers. Even though Olivia was safe from her position under the cover of darkness, she felt that he was experienced enough to pick her out from her position with no problem.

However, through another lightning strike when Olivia could take a second look at him, she noticed that there was something off about him. She noticed that the way he carried himself, while still authoritative and intimidating, seemed to suggest that he was winded, almost like he had taken a punch to the gut. She couldn't get a good enough look at his face from her position this time to tell what exactly he was feeling, but the man's body language implied that he did not want to be there. Olivia also noticed that the other soldiers in front of her shared the same uncomfortable posture that their commander had. But whether by close proximity to him or on their own accord, she could not tell.

The man in question looked up to the sky and took a deep breath. Suddenly, his face perked up and he let out a guttural yell. Apparently, he addressed all nearby troops to move out as the group he was a part of started marching off into the canyon, with even more bands of soldiers coming out of the shadows and following him into obscurity. Each figure that disappeared into the darkness went without question, but hesitantly. As if this would be the last time they would see light.

Olivia kept watching the Plegian army advancing into the Midmire until the last soldier was out of sight. Immediately after, she went to warn the other performers what she just saw and told them to stay on alert and prepare to either make a break for it, or fight. Her comrades' eyes widened upon hearing the news, but they understood and quickly went about to brace themselves. They started unsheathing weapons and got the carriages into position to flee. Olivia then returned back to the rock pile from where she was hiding behind before, staring back into the abyss as she continually prayed for this nightmare to end.

* * *

More Plegian soldiers kept coming out of seemingly nowhere. In addition to the ones in front of the Shepherds and the wyvern brigade Basilio had noticed before, archers and mages took position on top of the five biggest rock formations. The pathways between them were filled with barbarians, knights, and cavaliers. Gangrel must have planned out this area in advance to keep anybody from leaving the execution alive.

Suddenly, a bearded, bald man with a decently-sized group of soldiers behind him came out of the inner Midmire and addressed the Shepherds directly, yelling loud to be heard over the rain.

"Ylisseans! I offer you mercy! Surrender to me now and live!"

Basilio scoffed at the man, obviously the enemy general, who had just addressed them. "Surrender?" He spat into the ground in distaste. "Sorry, I'm not familiar with the word."

The general sighed. "Emmeryn would not have wished for this to come to bloodshed."

Upon hearing him say that, Chrom immediately stiffened. He darted forward in front of the Shepherds, and glared while he raised Falchion towards the man. "Do not speak her name!" he shouted with venom. Robin flinched upon Chrom's sudden outburst, but the enemy general looked at him with quiet patience. Chrom kept Falchion leveled and seethed through gritted teeth. Robin reached out to put his hand on Chrom's shoulder to calm him down, but the enemy general spoke up again before he could.

"Your rage is justified, Prince Chrom" he said. "But the meaning of your sister's final sacrifice wasn't lost on me. I suspect many Plegians who heard her final words would say the same." He paused briefly before continuing. "If you lay down your weapons, I vow to protect you as best I can."

"How can we trust you after what your barbarous king has done?" Frederick interjected, also glaring at the man, tightly clenching the reins of his horse with barely controlled anger. "I think we shall take our chances with weapons in hand!"

The general sighed again. "I suspected you would say as much," he said disheartenedly, not surprised by their answer. He cracked his knuckles and withdrew the large battleaxe he held at his side. "So be it, Prince Chrom. I shall endeavor to grant you a swift and dignified end." On that note, he turned around to his soldiers. "Men, to arms!"

Upon hearing their general's order, the Plegian soldiers unsheathed their weapons and started to advance towards the Shepherds. The ones directly in front of them closed in on Basilio, but the experienced khan was far too quick for them. He effortlessly dodged their strikes and silenced them permanently with a mighty swing from his axe. Their blood trickled into nearby puddles and turned them to a disgusting shade of red.

"Shepherds! Prepare for battle!" Chrom yelled as he raised Falchion high above his head.

Chaos ensued. Reluctantly, the Shepherds pulled out their weapons and engaged the enemy. Swords clashed against swords, horses struggled to stay balanced in the storm, arrows flew in seemingly random directions, spells illuminated the path of their trajectory, and bodies began to fall to the wet earth. Robin himself took out one of his tomes and kept the Shepherds in line with various tactics and positions he called out for them to form while casting spells of his own.

 _"He's right,"_ Robin thought to himself in the midst of combat, a Plegian soldier falling at his feet. " _Emmeryn wouldn't have wanted for it to come to this."_

* * *

Olivia was more than well aware of the battle that had just commenced. She saw the enemy general return after a period of time to give out orders to his troops and those soldiers running out to their positions. She couldn't see who they were fighting, but she could hear weapons clashing and battle cries despite the heavy rainfall and guessed that it was most likely Basilio and the Ylisseans. She was amazed that the soldiers could still wield weapons and fight in a muddy ravine while she could barely see two feet in front of her.

But she couldn't focus on the fight too much. Olivia's mind was on overdrive. Her eyes constantly darted back and forth, hoping to catch some glimmer of hope that both Basilio and the Ylisseans were still alive out there. Olivia knew that she shouldn't doubt Basilio's skills in battle. After all, he was one of the khans of Regna Ferox, and a force to be reckoned with at that. And she also knew of the accomplishments of the Ylissean force as well. But she couldn't help but fear for their safety.

"General Mustafa!" All of the sudden, one stray soldier, a young Plegian man who looked to be no older than seventeen years old, approached his general and saluted him. The boy was shaking in place and dropped down his spear at his feet. "F-forgive me, sir," he said trying to sound firm, but his voice cracks suggested otherwise, "but I...I no longer see the justice in hunting these people down". The young soldier took off his helmet and bowed his head in shame. "I accept any punishment you see fit, but after all that's happened...I-I just can't."

A fellow soldier, a wyvern rider, lowered his mount and pointed his axe at his comrade while his wyvern screeched. "How dare you question the general's orders!" he scolded, making the young man tremble in fear. "You know full well the punishment for insubordination is death!" He reared up his wyvern toward the man.

The young soldier put his hands up to his face, trying to defend himself. He stepped back, but tripped and fell down into a puddle. His armor and back were now covered in mud and he shivered in both cold and fear as the wyvern rider moved in. The rider lifted his axe as his wyvern bared its fangs, now less than a foot from the fallen soldier's face.

He was about to close in on him, when his general halted him. The rider dismounted his beast and stood in disbelief as Mustafa helped the fallen soldier to his feet. The man stood there, armor dirty and soaked, and visibly cowering. He was a pathetic sight to look at. A deserter. A disgrace to his country. Why would any self-respecting general hold this man to the same standard as the rest of his troops?

The young man spoke up in a whimper. "B-but sir! These people are-"

Mustafa held up his hand. "These questions are not ours to ponder, lad," he said as a scowl developed on his face. "The soldier does not judge. The soldier delivers judgment."

"Sir, I… I cannot raise my lance against them. Even if...Even if it means death."

Mustafa eyed his soldier curiously and let out a sigh. "...You were there when Emmeryn spoke, weren't you?" he asked, sheathing his axe.

The young soldier nodded. He bowed his head and continued to shake in his armor. Although now, it wasn't because of the cold or fear. The young boy could sense something deeper being awoken inside of him. It was a new feeling for him. He couldn't quite tell what it was, but he felt a strong sense of anticipation for something far greater and more important than anything he could comprehend. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before, but he knew at that very moment that being a soldier was not the right course of action. The young man looked at Mustafa right in the eyes, almost glaring at him. He would stand by his decision even if it meant he would end his life by insubordinating.

Seeing the fire in his soldier's eyes, Mustafa sighed again. He saw that the young man was not unlike what he himself was at that age: idealistic, but hopelessly naïve all the same. His expression softened. "So be it!" he finally spoke, his voice booming louder than usual to address all of his troops in his vicinity. "Those of you unwilling to fight are dismissed!"

All of the nearby soldiers looked at their commander in shock. The young deserter's eyes lost their spark as they widened. "B-but I don't wish to abandon you, sir!" he said in a panic, realizing the consequences of his choice.

"I cannot defy the king, lad," Mustafa said disheartenedly. "I know him well. He would murder my wife and child to set an example. I will accept the blame for your actions today. Now go!"

"W-wait, General!" he said with tears filling his eyes.

"Go before I change my mind and kill you where you stand!" Mustafa suddenly snapped. "This is your only warning. GO!"

The young man stumbled over himself as he ran off from the group. He left behind his helmet and spear and took one final look before vanishing into the canyon. Mustafa stared at the gaping maw of darkness that the boy had run off into. For a moment, it seemed as though he wanted to follow him. But shaking his head, Mustafa instead knelt down and picked up both the spear and helmet the young deserter had left behind. He took a good look at them, presumably to look for any means of identification.

The rider remained silent throughout the conversation between his general and the deserter. He couldn't begin to believe that a man of his position would allow such a thing to happen. He thought of his general as a strong, unfeeling man ready to deliver judgment rather than judge like he said earlier. Out of everybody enlisted in the Plegian infantry, it was General Mustafa who was the most decorated and professional. He should have known better than to let a deserter go unpunished.

But now he saw a different person standing in front him. The way this man's head was bent as he examined the deserter's weapons made it seem like he were in prayer. Instead of wearing a face of iron and wielding his weapon as his gavel, he had a somber, doubtful look on his face and his axe hung weakly by his side. The rain seemed to hammer him into the mud and quite clearly was bothering him. This man seemed ready to fall at any moment. Yet, just like the deserting soldier before him, he had the indistinguishable fire in his eyes. Apparently, it was highly infectious as the rider was preoccupied in thought until Mustafa turned to him.

"Well then? Are you going to leave too?" Mustafa questioned him.

The rider was caught off-guard at first, but shook his head. Mustafa looked at him somberly. "Very well." He put a hand on the rider's shoulder. "Now listen here, I expect the Ylisseans will be here in a short while." The rider looked at him with panic, but Mustafa remained calm and kept speaking. "I shall be going back to base for the time being. Our men need me there now more than ever. I want you to go out ahead and intercept the Ylisseans with the main force as best as you can. But if you feel the need, I have no qualms if you or anybody else leaves. You are dismissed." Mustafa gave the soldier one last look, then broke off into a jog, hurrying back to the fortress they had captured beforehand.

The rider was left there only with only his wyvern as company. He patted the beast on the snout as it growled with pleasure. Thinking back on what his general had both commanded and offered him, the rider swiftly decided that he wasn't going to abandon a man like Mustafa. Unlike King Gangrel who ruled through fear and was secretly hated by most under his subjugation, General Mustafa earned and deserved the respect and admiration of his men. To run away from somebody like him and leave him to potentially meet his end at the enemy was a cowardly move. The rider still scorned the deserter soldier who abandoned the battlefield. Hopefully, he would meet his end by a Ylissean's sword for all he cared.

Still, the way the young man had defied the very authority of Plegia itself made him think twice. Maybe Exalt Emmeryn had a point when she foolishly jumped off that cliff. He didn't like the way King Gangrel seemed to bask in her death; it made him sick to his stomach. But his loyalty was to Mustafa, who was loyal to Plegia, which unfortunately was underneath Gangrel's boot. Thinking about it, the traitor's reasoning for leaving was, he hated to admit it, justified.

If it meant living with a war-obsessed tyrant as a leader, perhaps the glory of Plegia meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. Who in their right mind would follow somebody like him? No wonder Exalt Emmeryn had jumped, she didn't want to give him the pleasure of killing her! How ironic that her last moments were spent comforting her enemies rather than her own people. She pitied them!

Although, now that he thought about it, maybe that was the point. From what little he knew about Ylisse's history, he remembered that they were not unlike Plegia was now a few decades ago: hyperfocused on conquest and having no qualms for war if necessary. Maybe Exalt Emmeryn realized her nation, and her father in that regard, were wrong. He remembered what Emmeryn had said to the Plegian citizens: they had to free themselves rather than to perpetuate the cycle of war. At first, he thought she was simply pleading with them to stop killing her people. But perhaps she saw Plegia making the same mistakes as her country did long ago?

The rider sighed. This was too much for him to think about right now. He felt heavy rain pouring down on both him and his wyvern. He scratched his beast a second time. Like his general, he began to feel uncomfortable. That very same fire that both the deserter and Mustafa had possessed was starting to awaken in him too. He was not quite sure what it was, but whatever it was, he couldn't put it into words how insurmountable it felt.

Suddenly he heard the loud screeching of wyverns and battle cries of their handlers nearby, informing him that his formation was on the move. His own wyvern called back to the group and seemed eager to go back to its own kind. So the rider hopped onto his beast, gave it a final pat on the head, and soared to the darkened sky. The nagging thoughts were still present, but he forced himself to push them into the back of his mind. He could think about this later. Right now, his general needed him.

* * *

Chrom led the assault himself, making short work of any Plegian that came his way. Cutting, slashing, and parrying like an animal. His whole team almost didn't need to do anything. Chrom took down barbarians, berserkers, wyverns and their riders, archers, mages, and even the lone looters all on his own without a hint of lethargy. While the rain and boggy terrain had made it awkward for the other Shepherds to traverse across the landscape, much less fight, Chrom didn't seem to be slowed down. All throughout, Chrom's face never dropped that murderous scowl he developed.

Basilio fought next to him on the front line with Sully and Vaike backing both him and the prince up and continued to fight just as animalistic as Chrom as he hacked his way through the Plegian force. But unlike the prince, he had control over his emotions.

Robin sought to keep the group together and piled everybody close to each with an arm's length of space for extra protection and to prevent anybody from getting lost in the canyon. While this made them potentially easy to spot out and their progress slower than he would have liked, especially since he did not know if enemy reinforcements were coming, it ensured that he could keep a close eye on everybody and prevent anybody else from dying today.

Cordelia and Sumia took to the skies to report enemy positions to Robin. Thankfully, the rain provided them with cover from enemy archers, but it also made their job tougher as the rain was a major obstacle for not only being able to see and their pegasuses to be able fly through, but also psychologically as they did not know if they could be ambushed at any time. Not to mention that enemy wyvern riders were a very dangerous threat and if it wasn't for the support provided by Robin, Miriel, Ricken, and Virion, they would be in big trouble. Lissa and Maribelle stood in the middle of the group and healed anybody as soon as they so much had a scratch. Kellam protected them from every angle, and for once, everybody saw him.

Robin casted a wind spell at an approaching wyvern while Virion shot an arrow at the rider. The beast's wings were violently torn apart by the spell as it plummeted toward the ground, unable to fly anymore. It landed with a sickening thud, right on top of its rider, who let out a muffled scream before going quiet. Lon'qu silently, but lethally took out the legs of the horses of enemy cavaliers. The beasts staggered and fell to the ground, causing their riders fall into the mud, sometimes breaking bones in the process. Shortly after, they were greeted with a lance in their chest from either Frederick or Stahl.

A few barbarians approached the group and got within arms reach of Ricken, but both Gregor and Nowi protected him with their sword and reinforced dragonhide respectively. Gregor immediately let out a war cry and slashed the throat of one barbarian while stabbing another in the chest within seconds of one another. Nowi let loose a gigantic breath of fire and set the last one on fire. The man cried out as he was burnt alive, the dragonfire unable to be put out by pure rain alone. He staggered to his knees in a hopeless attempt to stop, drop, and roll and finally fell over. The smell of his corpse would not leave Ricken's mind for the rest of his years.

Mages and archers from on top of the rock formations were dealt with quickly due to the huge danger they posed to Sumia and Cordelia. In addition to Virion's archery, Libra and Vaike both threw tomahawks and throwing axes that snuffed them out in no time flat. With each person that fell, Libra's face grew increasingly more sullen. His continued prayers for both Naga's forgiveness and guidance were not lost on the Shepherds.

A stray knight that had engaged both Gaius and Panne in combat had proved difficult for them to take down due to his heavy armor. Gaius was unable to land a decisive hit on him despite his speed advantage and Panne, quite capable of breaking an unarmored opponent's neck easily, was unable to do much as scratch him with her claws. Just as the knight brought his lance around to swing at Panne, he stopped mid-swing. The knight stood there for a second, then suddenly gurgled as if he was choking on something, and finally fell face first into the ground. Gaius and Panne looked at each other in confusion before looking back to the knight and were shocked to find just an empty pile of bloody armor and an equally bloody lance; there was no body in sight. A small giggle from Tharja that came behind them told them all they needed to know.

Suddenly, amidst the fighting, a barbarian broke the line of defense. Kellam immediately brought himself in front of both Lissa and Maribelle, but the barbarian completely ignored them and made a beeline toward Robin, who had been recovering from casting spells moments ago. Robin quickly dodged one swing and backed up, but he lost his balance and fell backwards into a large puddle. Coughing and shivering, he brought himself up to his knees and drew his sword, but the berserker swung his axe downward before he could do anything.

Robin gritted his teeth and prepared for the worst, when out of nowhere, Chrom blocked the blow and deflected the battle axe away. Bringing his sword around, Chrom punched the man in the face with the hilt. The barbarian cursed and staggered backwards while holding his face in pain, his nose broken and dripping blood. Chrom lifted Falchion and silenced him completely with one swipe of the blade.

"Get up, Robin," he said to him immediately after finishing off the barbarian, not even offering a hand.

Robin staggered to his feet, helped up by both Lissa and Frederick.

"You okay?" Lissa asked him.

"Y-yeah," Robin replied, still winded. "I'm fine." Robin rubbed the back of his head and winced. He wasn't wounded thankfully, but his cloak was now covered in muck and would need a wash. But that had to wait. Shaking off his close encounter, Robin turned to Frederick. "Frederick," he addressed the knight, "I hate to ask this of you, but would you mind looking after Chrom for me? Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Frederick grimaced. "I've been doing that long before I even met you," he said stoically, but he got back up on his horse and rushed straight to Chrom's side. Robin and Lissa watched him go as Robin stopped to catch his breath.

"Robin," Lissa whispered nervously to him, "I'm worried about Chrom."

"I am too," Robin sighed. "He's not acting like himself at all."

"He doesn't even seem to look like the Chrom that I know."

"I know what you mean." Robin pointed to Chrom. "Look at his stance. You see how he's carrying himself? The way he's holding onto his sword tightly? That's not how you should be holding a blade. Whenever he attacks, his strikes are overly aggressive and uncontrolled. It's very predictable, exhausting, and unsafe. For somebody who's been trained in swordfighting all his life like Chrom, he should know better than to use such a reckless technique."

Lissa eyed her brother cautiously. "Oh gods. I've never seen him act this way before. It honestly scares me. I hope he doesn't do anything that gets him hurt."

Robin smirked bitterly. "That's why he's got Frederick riding on his back now. But-" he sighed, "I don't know how much he's going to be able to hold Chrom back. That look in his eyes sends chills down my spine."

"He's breaking down," Lissa said.

Robin looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"He's suffering," she replied sadly, tears coming to her eyes. "E-Emm's," Lissa stopped herself for a moment, "...death...hit him hard. S-same as me. But for him, not only did he lose his sister, being the next in line to the throne, he now he has to live up to her legacy. Knowing Chrom, I bet he feels unworthy to live up to somebody like her. Especially i-if...h-he couldn't…" That was all she could say. Lissa feel to her knees and broke down crying. Robin caught her in a hug. Maribelle, who was keenly listening in to their conversation, also came to console her best friend.

"I-I'm sorry, Lissa darling," Maribelle said, trying to be as comforting as she could. "But don't you worry about your brother. Milord is a very strong man. After all," she said nudging Lissa with her elbow, "it runs in the family. I have no qualms that he will become an Exalt worthy of the title. He just needs time to heal."

Robin nodded his head in agreement. "Lissa, I know how hard it is for you right now. Believe me, we're all in pain. But right now, we're not in a very good place. We have to get to the convoys as quickly as we can. But we will definitely address Chrom later," he said, looking to the man in question. "He needs our help now more than ever."

* * *

From what it looked like, a majority of the Plegian force had been neutralized. Which was welcome news to the Shepherds, having been all but drained from the terrible trek through the Midmire. They moved deeper into the canyon, the darkness became worse as the rock piles were now so high that the sky was blocked out by them. The constant precipitation also caused some sections of the ravine to flood. Landslides were now a very dangerous possibility and Basilio secretly hoped that Olivia had not picked a spot where she and the others would be swept away by one.

As they moved forward, they occasionally found and dispatched the stray Plegian soldier. But surprisingly, most soldiers they encountered seemed unwilling to fight and ran away at the sight of them. Not just to get away from such a large group of enemies, but they dropped their weapons and stripped themselves of their armor and any spare belongings as they ran away from the battlefield, as if they were deserting. Not that it mattered to Chrom, as the prince insisted on fighting every single soldier he encountered. Had it not been for Frederick keeping him in check, there was no doubt that Chrom would have ran into the darkness by himself and have gotten lost. Or worse.

Just as the path they were taking seemed endless, and it seemed that the Midmire had done its job swallowing them, they approached a fortified fortress at what seemed like the end of the ravine. Its appearance earned sighs of relief from the exhausted Shepherds. A couple of Plegian soldiers guarded the entrance. But upon seeing their enemy approaching in vast numbers, they wisely retreated into the safety of the fortress. Both Chrom and Basilio cursed under their breath, but for different reasons. Robin stepped forward to calmly address the situation.

"Khan Basilio," he said, "Where are the caravans?". Robin had to speak up more due to the deafening sound of the downpouring rain. Although he felt it was okay since this meant that any potential Plegian soldiers could not overhear him.

"They should be over there." Basilio gestured as ambiguously as he could in the direction behind the fort that led out of the Midmire. "But I think it's best if we eliminate the threat entirely before making our escape. If we don't, they could easily call for backup and gang up on us. We'd stand no chance if all our asses are crammed in flimsy wooden carriages."

Robin didn't like that idea at all. Especially after looking at Chrom and seeing the evil glint in his eyes reappear. But the khan had a point. As much as Robin wanted to stop needlessly fighting, it was important to neutralize the threat. They were still knee-deep in Plegian territory. Reinforcements were a very deadly possibility.

Those Plegian soldiers from earlier no doubt told their chain of command of their approach. If they could snuff out the problem from the head down, then they would be safe for the time being. Plus, even if the Plegians had called for reinforcements, the Shepherds could utilize this fortress for defense if they were able to capture it. Tactically, he felt it was the best decision to make considering the circumstances, even if it was a hard pill to swallow.

Nodding to the khan, Robin sent Gaius to silently scope out the fortress. Upon returning, he reported that the fort was noticeably diminutive, but had four Plegian soldiers in the courtyard, two barbarians, an archer, and the general. No other soldiers were around, the walls were unfortified, and the building was in poor condition: dilapidated, and growing mold. Surprised at the detailed report, Robin pressed him further, wanting to understand how he knew so much.

Gaius looked down to the ground and rubbed the back of his head. "I, uh...may have been spotted" he said, smiling shyly. Robin's eyes widened. Seeing the worried look on his face, Gaius continued. "But it was weird. The big guy we saw earlier is in there, and he just seemed to pick me out of the dark when I _swear_ that I was hidden. But he didn't bind me up, have his men hold me down, or anything. He just let me go, told me all of what I told you, and said to bring Blue over to him." Gaius looked up through his damp red hair. "I think he wants to challenge him personally."

Lissa, Frederick, and Robin all shot each other nervous glances.

"Milord..." Frederick spoke up, but said nothing more.

"Chrom-" Lissa started, putting her hand on Chrom's shoulder. But he tore away and started to advance silently, but quickly into the fort.

"Chrom, wait!" Robin called as he ran to catch up. The other Shepherds followed closely behind him. This certainly would not end well.

* * *

Upon entering the fortress, the Shepherds were greeted to the sight of the enemy general they saw before alongside two other soldiers at his side in the middle of the open courtyard that had seemed to have been in ruin for quite some time. The general stepped forward and gestured to his two soldiers to back off as he withdrew his battle axe from his side. He then looked straight at Chrom.

"I am General Mustafa of Plegia," he said calmly, but with conviction. "If you wish to keep your lives, then you must win them!"

With protest from all of his Shepherds and Basilio from behind him, Chrom stepped forward and withdrew Falchion from its sheath. Casually, Mustafa swung his battle axe around in a display of confidence. Chrom did not back down, though, and kept calm, which would have been normal for him, but was now unheard of. Both men eyed each other, sizing one another up. They stood still, breathing slowly.

Suddenly, Chrom rushed forward with an animalistic yell, reaching the Mustafa in under two seconds. Mustafa's eyes widened as he barely managed to deflect Chrom's blow. Seeing as he now had the advantage, Chrom advanced forward and continually slashed at Mustafa. He did not allow Mustafa to go on the offensive once as his energy, lung capacity, and rage seemed endless. Mustafa himself had to constantly back up just so he could keep up with the raging prince, grunting and feeling his muscles burn after barely blocking each blow.

As much as he hated to admit it, Mustafa was not prepared for this fight. Despite his experience, he had assumed that this would have been settled in an honorable duel with as little fighting as possible. However, it seemed Chrom had other ideas as he unleashed a barrage of strikes at Mustafa's chest, only to be blocked by his axe. Mustafa had hoped to tire out the prince so he could gain the advantage again. But feeling his muscles almost give way with every blow from the Ylissean prince, he doubted that he could keep up for long. It was at that moment when he noticed the evil glint in Chrom's eyes, just like Robin had prior. Mustafa disturbingly noted that it was the same one that King Gangrel had earlier today when he had threatened to murder Mustafa's wife and child if he did not prove his loyalty. Seeing that made him afraid for the very first time in a while.

Both Mustafa's men and the Shepherds held their breath as they watch the duel. Mustafa's men gradually backed as far away as they could from the Shepherds as if they feared they would be just as vicious as Chrom. Although they had nothing to worry about as the Shepherds, Lissa, Robin, and Frederick especially, were absolutely stunned at the level of brutality Chrom was displaying. Both sides feared for what was to come.

All of the sudden, Mustafa let out a cry of pain. Chrom had managed to score a hit on Mustafa's hand that had been holding his axe as a shield. Said axe fell out of his hands to the ground. Seeing an opening, Chrom immediately let loose all inhibitions and started hacking away at the now defenseless man before him. At that moment, Mustafa regretted that he was only wearing shoulder pads made of bone as they splinted before Falchion and imbedded into his body. With each new cut to his raw flesh, he felt all of his nerves simultaneously alight as hot cascades of blood spurted out of his veins. He screamed in agony.

Immediately, his two men ran to his aid. However, Chrom turned to them, almost instinctually, and started to run towards them. The expression on his face was similar to a bear sow as he raised Falchion high above his head, ready to lay waste the two terrified men.

"NO!"

Startled, Chrom stopped himself mid-swing. Robin ran up to him, swatted Falchion out of Chrom's hands, and wrapped his arms around him to restrain the man. Chrom resisted at first, but then gradually calmed down. He stood still for a moment, Robin noting that Chrom's expression turned from one of bloody anger to confusion. After he took just one breath, Chrom felt all the adrenaline and energy leave his body and almost doubled over. Robin stopped him from falling, helping him down to the ground slowly.

They turned around and were stunned to see that Mustafa had miraculously picked himself up from the bloody pulp that he was on the ground. Mustafa's men took the opportunity of Robin's interruption to run to their commanding officer, one on either side, shirtless as they had taken off their under armor to use as makeshift bandages. Mustafa stood on one knee, hunched over, with a look for fear on his face. But upon seeing that the prince no longer had any malice intentions, he let himself relax. He shot up and winced as the adrenaline he built up gave way to the pain that covered his body.

It didn't take long for Chrom to calm down to the point where he was back to his old self. But upon taking a close look at the physical damage he inflicted upon this man, as well as the aghast and disgusted looks of both his Shepherds and Mustafa's men, Chrom gasped. He was absolutely horrified that he had caused so much pain to an honorable, innocent man. Chrom immediately crumpled to the ground, tearing at his hair as he let out a cry that jolted everybody, including Mustafa himself.

Robin tried to help Chrom up, but the prince was inconsolable. He drudged his face deep into the muddy ground as if he was trying to suffocate himself. Finally though, he relented as he was helped up by Robin as well as Lissa, Sumia, and Frederick. Although he still wouldn't meet any of their eyes.

Mustafa, though in a grave state, couldn't help but let out a smile at the care that Chrom's comrades had for him. While he wished that the circumstances that led for them to meet were better, he knew at that moment that Prince Chrom and his company were good people. And that the future between his country and theirs would be a bright one. Unfortunately, it did not look like he would live to see it. But hopefully, he thought at the back of his head, that traitorous young bastard that deserted would. He was a good kid...

Mustafa coughed bitterly. Which made Chrom and the group of Shepherds around him look up.

"I am...beaten. Well done Ylisseans," he said as he drew his final breath, his last thoughts being of his wife, child, and his troops. "Please...spare my men…"

* * *

Olivia had noticed that the heavy combat sounds and yelling had stopped a while ago. Not that it made any difference on her nerves as now she feared that Khan Basilio and the Ylisseans had gotten captured. Or worse.

The ever feeling of dread did not leave her until she heard a large group approaching in the distance. At first, she feared it was the Plegians. But after spotting the large, familiar figure of the khan leading the group, the wave of relief that she felt would have put world-ending floods to shame. She popped out of her hiding place and ran over to greet them.

"Khan Basilio!"

"Olivia!" he exclaimed, surprised at how disgruntled she looked. "I'm sorry we kept you waiting."

"When I didn't hear from you, I thought...I assumed the worst," she said, relieved to see that he was unharmed. She looked at the two men that were on either side of Basilio. One of them was a dark-eyed, blue-haired youth that had the Mark of Naga on his right shoulder, signifying him as Ylissean royalty. His eyes were downcast and seemed to be barely holding his composure. The other person was another young man with white hair and wearing a dark cloak with the hood over his head, although not covering his face. His eyes were wild, and he kept looking back at the blue-haired man in obvious concern.

"Chrom? Robin?" Basilio said, addressing the two men, "Meet Olivia. She'll be smuggling us out of here." He pointed to the caravans behind her.

"Only if you hurry!" Olivia said, looking around them worriedly. "Doubtless more of the Mad King's men are on their way."

Basilio nodded. "Right. Pile in, you lot! And bid farewell to this Plegian hellhole."

Immediately, the caravan crew worked as fast as possible to get the Shepherds onboard. They were stockpiled into the tiny caravans like fish. They were sorted strategically, with the most important members placed into the middle caravan with the others in the front and back caravans. The Shepherd members who wore heavy armor had no time to change out, having no choice but to wear it throughout the trip. As soon as the Shepherds hit the floor, the caravan crew threw all sorts of cover over them: blankets, clothing, shoes, miscellaneous goods, anything to hide and not draw attention to them.

The Shepherd's horses were stripped of their armor to avoid identification and strapped to a caravan. Thankfully, the horses were cooperative, seemingly aware of their situation. Pegasai were forced to fly back to Ylisstol without their handlers, relying on instinct to find their way back. A few members of the caravan crew were kind enough to offer the Shepherds towels, food, and water for the journey ahead.

As soon as things were in working order, the caravan crew all jumped into their assigned caravans. Olivia herself ran around the caravans one last time, taking extra care to ensure everything was in order. Once she was satisfied, she practically dove into the middle caravan and slapped the side of it, signaling the driver to ride. The driver responded with a loud yell, signaling the other drivers, and whipped the horses. The horses began to rear up, and the caravans started to move.

"Ready? Hold on tight!" Olivia said to the people in her caravan: Basilio, Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, and Robin. There was not much to grab onto considering the Shepherds were on the floor, underneath piles of junk, but they somehow managed to stay in place as the caravans flew out of the Midmire. The wind howling was even more pronounced as rain pelted the inside of the caravans, but thankfully did not hit anybody due to the junk pile.

The shaking and bumping of the caravans as they rode across a now rocky road did not help to ease the tension of their close escape. Throughout the whole period of riding back to Regna Ferox, nobody spoke a word. Nor could they see each other as the piles of junk that hid them masked everybody's presence, making the ride feel very lonely. Even after the rain eventually stopped, it did little to brighten anybody's spirits. All it did was remind them of the painful time they had spent fighting in vain in the graveyard of the Fell Dragon.

During the trip back, everybody had time to further reflect upon the disaster that was Emmeryn's failed rescue mission. Most of the Shepherds tried to hold back their emotions so as to not give themselves away. However, that did not stop a select few from doing so anyway. For the most part, their grief had been put on hold to focus on escaping from Plegia. But now that they had a moment to breathe, the grim reality of their situation hit them like a spiked club to the face.

Emmeryn was truly gone. They had failed her. And they had failed all of Ylisse.

* * *

A/N: Hello! I'd like to thank you for taking the time to read this. I really appreciate it. As you already guessed from the title, this fic is based on the (potential) relationship between Robin and Olivia from _Fire Emblem: Awakening_. I realize it doesn't seem like it at first, but that is because I wanted to make this piece a bit more dramatic and detailed rather than short and all fluff. Life has it's serious and depressing moments that make the happy ones all the more special. Partners need to put in a lot of work, have patience, sometimes make sacrifices, and show no small sum of gratitude in order for them to truly blossom into loving relationships. I hope to emphasize all of that in this fic, and I hope I can make something great out of it that you will enjoy. I promise you that those fluffy sections will come if you're into that (no lemons though, sorry). We just need to get started on a rather gloomy tone because Olivia is recruited in the game during a grim time for the Shepherds.

As you may have noticed, this fic is formatted after the "100 theme challenge". I chose to do this way because I don't feel that I have the patience, nor ability, to create an original story out of _Awakening_ 's plot without compromising key details and not staying true to the source material. I understand that creating one hundred topics while wanting to include as many little details as possible is a big uptaking, possibly insane. But I intend to deliver because I love this pairing, these characters, and this game so much that I want to do them justice. Plus, this is good writing practice for me since I am not a creative person by nature. I apologize in advance for inevitably skipping around this game's plot too much. I hope it is not too bad.

Also, I don't plan on altering the original game's storyline all that much. So that means no modern AUs, no OCs, nothing of that sort. The most I would do to change things up would be to provide small miscellaneous background information about characters or events that _Awakening_ does not elaborate on, or use concepts like the Future Past DLC to provide "what if?" scenarios.

For what I plan to do in the future, I am not sure that I can stick to a consistent schedule as university, work, friends, and family will keep me busy. But rest assured that I will try to meet demand for new chapters. In fact, I already have a few other themes done and on the backlog in case I am not able to write for long periods of time.

As a final note, I want you all to keep in mind that this is the first fic that I have ever written. That means if you think anything feels off to you, _**feel free to rip me a new one**_. I can't stand bad fanfictions just like everybody else. Lord knows what I'd do if mine becomes that bad. I want to create flowing, entertaining, and compelling narratives that I can be proud of, and hopefully that you all can enjoy. Basically, if you think my writing sucks, tear me a new one. But if you like it, thank you! That means I'm doing something right. I greatly appreciate any feedback that I get.

Well, I think that's enough from me. Please feel free to contact me if you want to chat! I'd love to get to know you all. If you made it this far, thanks for reading this! I promise that not all of my author's notes will be this long. I hope you enjoy, MSV!

\- KeziaVolition


	2. Chapter 2 - Complicated

2\. Complicated

(Warning: Spoilers for up to Chapter 10 - Renewal in _Fire Emblem: Awakening)_

* * *

Just as quickly as the Shepherds were thrown into the Feroxian caravans and fled the Midmire, no sooner did they arrive back at the capital of Regna Ferox. For the Feroxians and Ylisseans, the familiar sight of Regna Ferox's Grand Hall in the distance could not have been releving enough. They had successfully escaped from underneath Gangrel's boot without being discovered. A few times, it seemed the simultaneously muddy and rocky roads they took might have damaged the wheels of the caravans, if not potentially thrown the entire congregation of people out the window. There was no time to check if that was the case, it would have been too risky to stop. Thankfully though, the caravans stayed intact and they slowly came to a halt in front of the Grand Hall.

As soon as the carriages had stopped completely, the Shepherds, Khan Basilio, and performers alike unceremoniously emerged from underneath the stockpiled junk on top of them. Had one not known of the story behind these people, one could assume that they were refugees seeking asylum. In some ways, it was a fair comparison: most of them were still wet and covered in mud from the rainstorm that had occurred earlier. They all looked completely disheveled, not helped by the fact that they had just spent almost half a day confined in a wooden cart underneath piles of old trading goods. Although surprisingly, there were very little injuries. Indeed, the healers made sure to check everybody four times over just in case. Even the horses were relatively unharmed, if not a bit stressed and exhausted.

As soon as the healers completed their evaluations, the large group of Ylisseans and Feroxians began to disperse. Some of the performers left to presumably return to their homes. Others went back to the caravans and began to make repairs for the damages sustained on the road. But most people, including the Shepherds and Khan Basilio, trudged along into the Feroxian Grand Hall, where the ruling khan resided.

For the Shepherds unfamiliar with Regna Ferox, the Grand Hall was truly a sight to be seen. It was one of the oldest buildings in the country, having been first constructed in early history. Specifically during the Schism when Regna Ferox was first founded. It had been remodeled several times since then. Currently it stood well over fifty feet tall and approximately sixty-five feet wide.

Around the main building, a giant mead hall which had served as the khan's living quarters since the nation's earliest years, heavily fortified walls were lined with ramperts with arrow loops, towers with embrasures, and various battlements. These fortifications were actually Ylissean in design, a relic of the tumultuous days in which ancient Ferox was allied with ancient Ylisse while at war with the predecessor to what is now Plegia. Nowadays, such architecture was outdated, so now the Great Hall was reserved as the ruling khan's personal quarters. While not nearly as ornate as Castle Ylisstol, it carried a legacy of strength, determination, and accomplishment that characterized the nation as a whole.

Once inside, the Shepherds immediately diffused throughout the hall. A few members decided to sleep on the makeshift cots provided by the khan's servants. Several more went to fill their empty stomachs with food, although Stahl was surprisingly not one of these people. However most of the Shepherds huddled together at the mouth of the throne room. They all sat down, either on the floor or on the stairs leading up to the throne, with Chrom and Robin plopped down in the middle of them. Khan Flavia had arrived at the Grand Hall prior to the Shepherds, following her own personal escape route as the ruling khan accompanied by several groups of Regna Ferox's armed forces. Everybody acknowledged her, albeit half heartedly, as she joined the group, leaning against the granite pillars of the throne room next to Basilio. Olivia also wanted to join the crowd that had gathered, but instead shrunk back to a corner in the room, relegating to simply watch the gathering at a distance.

The unease in the room was unmistakable. It was practically screaming into everybody's ears. Despite the good outcome of their most recent battle, this day would not in a million years be considered a success. The most obvious reason was left unsaid. Nobody wanted to be the first to address the gigantic, gaping black void left behind by _her_. The Shepherds all looked at each other with bloodshot eyes that were dried up much like the blood smears on their clothing. A number of them had broken into silent tears, now able to release their pent-up emotions. Those that did not either receded into themselves, choked up like they had just swallowed a rock, or aimlessly looked around the throne room as if they were quite literally looking for answers.

Several times it looked as though somebody wanted to speak up, judging by the clearing of throats and gulping of air. Although they held their tongues and withdrew back into themselves. The khans themselves could offer nothing more than head shakes and looks a mixture of disgust and quiet pity. Olivia herself had yet to lift her gaze from the floor.

But much like the sun that was now starting to rise in the early morning, peeking over the snow-covered Feroxi countryside, the topic had to come up inevitably. Finally, after turning a few pages in his strategy book and letting out a very long-winded sigh, Robin was the first one to break the silence.

"All of that...For nothing," he said, closing his eyes and throwing his head back as if those words alone were enough to make him collapse from exhaustion.

Robin took a look around the room at his comrades. He winced as he noticed that Lissa was still crying, unable to be consoled even with Maribelle stroking her hand beside her. Next to them, Frederick stood tall and poised, but his face betrayed any attempts of hiding his pain. He covered his face with one hand, either nursing the fresh cuts on his face, or hiding himself in shame. As Frederick muttered something under his breath, Robin noticed that all of the other Shepherds were in equally as miserable shape. Anger, sadness, fear, and disgust were all good descriptors for their expressions, but it was the uncharacteristically bleak looks on all of their faces that deeply troubled him. Nobody could bring themselves to meet his eyes, or anybody's for that matter.

Robin looked toward Chrom beside him. The prince had been deathly quiet ever since his duel with the now-deceased General Mustafa of Plegia. Like the others, he would not look at anybody as his blue hair fell over and masked his face. It wasn't hard to imagine what he was thinking about. It made Robin feel absolutely awful for him.

Robin reached his hand out to Chrom's shoulder, but hesitated.

Robin took a deep breath before continuing. "Chrom…" he said, pulling his hand back. The prince looked up at him with the same grim expression on all of their faces at the moment. Robin looked down and clenched his hands. "I-I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. My plan was-".

Chrom held up his hand. "Don't. It's not your fault, Robin. You did your best," he said, eyes softening. "For that alone, you have my gratitude." Chrom then turned his eyes downward yet again. "It's my own failures that haunt me now."

"Chrom…"

There was a brief lull in conversation. Robin focused on Chrom's head, as if looking at it long enough would allow him to see into his thoughts. Chrom wiped off some of the blood smears on his face before continuing. "...you saw what I did to that man, Robin?" Chrom asked through the curtain of his hair. Robin didn't answer, he simply looked down into his hands again. Chrom began to visibly choke up. "He was innocent! He should not have died back there."

Robin sighed regrettably. "He was only there because he was forced to, Chrom. Like we all were."

"Still! If I had just been able to save her in time, then nobody would have had to die. If only I had been a better lead…no, a better brother, she would still be alive!" Chrom's breath began to hitch as silent streams of tears rolled down his face. "Gods," he said, frustrated, "I was just so...powerless!"

"That's not your fault either, Chrom" Robin responded softly.

"Don't you see, Robin!" he suddenly exclaimed, making Robin and everybody else, Shepherds and Feroxians alike, jump. Now all attention was on him. Chrom's words were raw, panicked, and mournful as he unleashed a cacophony of emotions that he had kept hidden for the past day. "She did it for me! She didn't want me to live with the guilt of either handing over the Fire Emblem or sacrificing her. So she chose for me!"

Chrom stood up and beheld all of those who had gathered, as well as the others who had rushed in upon hearing the commotion. "She sacrificed herself rather than give up what could one day save her people. She put her trust in me, her brother, to rebuild our nation, and what did I do? I went and made the same mistakes as our father did." Chrom sadly looked around the room at his Shepherds. The sight of their worried faces filled him with guilt. Chrom couldn't bear to look at all of the people that he had failed. He sat back down, defeated.

Just as Emmeryn had silenced the entire congregation back at Plegia Castle, Chrom also had left his Shepherds completely speechless. Everybody was in a state of quiet panic. Some people broke into full-on crying, like Lissa and Nowi. Others, especially Sully and Gregor, couldn't contain their anger and visibly seethed through their teeth. Although most could do nothing more than stare at their leader with pity. But like before, he wouldn't meet any of their eyes.

Chrom's outburst had also brought up an important point, like it had devoured it and spat it all up in front of them: what was to become of Ylisse's future? Between all of the questions and emotions of today, that was number one in everybody's mind. Emmeryn had been on the path of developing a new beginning for her country, one that had not been witnessed in Ylissean history for quite awhile. And certainty much different from that of her tyrant father. But now that she had been taken away far too soon, the path that she had envisioned was left without a lantern to guide the way. Now that path was uncertain. What if it couldn't be accomplished? Would Ylisse fall back to its old ways?

Robin looked around at the rest of the Shepherds and could tell that was what everybody was thinking about. Nobody said it, but the helpless expressions on their faces spoke louder than any words could. At that point, the midday sun disappeared behind the clouds as the room darkened. The already musty air from the ancient building grew heavier and bleak to the point where it seemed the Great Hall would collapse and bury them alive. Robin himself felt as if his entire world was withering around him, and would swallow up everything that he had grown to love in the carnage.

The temptation to give in was immense. Robin felt himself losing all of the energy in his body, seeping away from his vessels like a fresh cut bleeding freely. The stone-cold colors of the walls bleached his vision the same shade of gray as an overwhelming feeling of numbness, akin to muscles falling asleep, crept through his veins to all parts of his body. Robin felt like he could curl himself up into a ball on the hard brick floor and stay there forever. Never aging, dying, or feeling anything as the sands of time would bury him and his comrades under their weight.

But there was something inside of him that remained alert. Something that stubbornly refused to be silenced. If there were any descriptors that could explain what it was that was currently brewing inside the tactician's body, it would be that it felt like a butterfly. A small, fleeting, tiny little thing of an insect that was fluttering around inside his chest and abdominal cavities. It felt fragile enough that one wrong move would snuff it out.

But it was screaming. It was absolutely losing its microscopic mind. At the top of its lungs, the tiny butterfly was ordering him to not give in. Frothing at the mouth as it told him to fight back. It bounced off the walls of his stomach rapidly, whipping the man into action. Slowly feeling the man's attention on it, the butterfly reared back and yelled out one final rallying cry:

 _Hope will never die!_

* * *

Stirred, Robin forced himself back to reality as he looked back towards his comrades. The very same fear that he had felt upon seeing the maniacal look in Chrom's eyes back at the Midmire resurfaced again as he saw the anger, sadness, and desperation in his comrades' faces disappear as their expressions became muted. Their once bright, bloodshot eyes decayed to a corpse-like lifelessness. Although Robin had never before experienced this feeling, he knew exactly what it was: despair. They had completely given up. All was lost. There was nothing they could do. There was no hope.

Finding himself faced with those fears coming back, Robin put his emotions and feelings aside to look at the situation objectively. Indeed, Ylisse was without a ruler, and somebody had to take the throne. That somebody was without a doubt Chrom, but given the current circumstances they were under, he was in dire need of encouragement. However, as his tactician, advising Chrom was a part of his job. Robin hoped that he could provide more than just battlefield strategies.

Robin took a deep breath, got up, and placed himself directly in front of Chrom.

"Chrom?" he said, placing his hands on the prince's shoulder. "Look up. Look at me."

Chrom weakly lifted his gaze up back at Robin. Everybody in the room stared at the two men, holding their breath for what might come. Robin readjusted the Fire Emblem that had hung weakly on Chrom's shoulder.

"I was powerless once, too," he said, carefully choosing his words. "I know what it feels like to have nothing, to feel weak and completely vulnerable." Robin smiled. "If you have any worries that you'll turn into your father, just know that, on the day I met you, you welcomed a total stranger into your life with open arms against the reasonable suspicions of trusted advisors." Robin turned to Frederick and nodded in acknowledgement. Frederick's face stayed the same, although his lips cracked a small smile.

Robin turned back to Chrom. "You could have left me there, if not killed me outright. But you didn't. All because you never leave anybody behind who needs your help. And that, to me, speaks volumes of your character."

Chrom slightly blushed as his dark expression was slowly beginning to morph into something brighter. The other Shepherds and Feroxians, too, followed along curiously.

"I should say, though," Robin continued, "that I don't think any of us holds a candle to the person that your sister was. Emmeryn was a one in a million. There is nobody now, from past history, nor in the future, that could ever hope to become half the person that she was."

As soon as he said that, Chrom started to tear up again. Robin also heard Lissa behind him begin to quietly cry again, as well as a select number of Shepherds. Robin decided it was best to not dwell on her death too much.

"But listen, all of those candles add up. You, me, Lissa, Frederick," Robin looked behind himself and gestured his arm wide, "everybody in this room. With all of us together, maybe we can become something more." Robin looked back at Chrom and placed his hands back on his shoulders. "We can keep your sister's ideals alive, Chrom," he said, feeling the small butterfly poking around for freedom from its fleshy containment. "All you need to do is ensure that people have hope."

"But...what if I can't!" Chrom exclaimed, throat raw and pained from his previous episode. "What if I'm not that person you think I am? What if…" he stopped himself for a few seconds. "...what if I'm not worthy of her ideals?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Robin nodded in understanding. "You don't have to become her," he said sympathetically. "Like I said, we will never match her greatness. You are still Chrom at the end of the day." Robin squeezed his shoulders and smiled. "But because you _are_ Chrom, if you were not worthy, then you would just keep working until you were." Robin smirked. "I know you too well."

That response actually got a laugh out of the other people in the room. Basilio himself nearly doubled over. Robin felt a tiny spark light up in the room and felt the air slowly rejuvenate into something more energetic. The butterfly was no longer assaulting his insides and had now calmed to a peaceful, serene state. Feeling confident, Robin continued.

"And I already know that you are worthy. The fact that you question yourself lets me know that you are aware of who your sister was and what she dreamed of. Don't let her die in vain, Chrom. She put her trust in you because she knew you were worthy enough to be her successor. If anybody could tell you that you were doing her right, it's her."

Robin's face became more slightly more sullen as he sympathized with his best friend's position. "I know she left you a quite the legacy to live up to, and I can't imagine the weight on your shoulders right now. But if you'll allow me to, I want to make a promise to you right here, right now: I'll always be by your side as you fight for her. I won't give up on you, Chrom. I am your Shepherd to the end of time. And if you are to ever falter, I'll be right there to pick you up."

"Robin..." Chrom said with a quiver, although now with a bit more energy in his voice, "I...I don't want you to fall with me if I fail."

In response, Robin simply laughed. "I'd rather we fall together than either of us fall alone. But if it comes to that, then we'll simply pick ourselves up, dust off, and try again." Robin smiled again. "Chrom, I'm happily with you to the very end. And I, as well as everybody else in this room, wouldn't have it any other way." Robin got onto one knee and bowed before him in a position of fealty. "My Exalt."

In response, the entire room erupted into cheers and similar phrases of encouragement. Nowi was the first to act and ran up to Chrom, who was caught off guard as she practically threw herself onto him, giving him a big hug that almost toppled him over.

"Yeah! This is what friends are for!" she said, laughing as Chrom clumsily readjusted his footing. Then she knelt down beside Robin in a similar position. "Robin's right. Without you, I don't know where I would be."

Surprisingly, the gloomy Tharja was the next one to bow. "You gave me your trust and now, I suppose you have mine. I never liked Gangrel, anyway. So I'm with you now." She then shifted her beady eyes to the side and ominously giggled into her hand. "At least...for the time being."

Chrom looked a bit unsettled, but he relaxed as he turned and saw that Lon'qu had silently bowed right next to him. "Were you unworthy, I would have left _long_ ago," he said bluntly, accentuating the last part of his sentence. Chrom smiled, knowing the truth of his words.

Gaius slinked right next to Lon'qu and similarly bowed. "Yep. You definitely got what it takes, Blue," he said, smirking to himself over the new nickname he had just come up with. Chrom sighed as Gaius winked at him. "Not to mention, _the goods_. I'd be damned if didn't stick around."

Virion smiled and clapped his hands together. "Ah, It took great courage and charisma to unite all of us," he said, basking in the newfound energy of the room. "I knew I possessed such talents, but clearly you do as well!" Virion bowed right down next to Robin. "The archest of archers is proud to serve you, Exalt Chrom."

Ricken patted Chrom's shoulder. "Yeah!" he said. "You're a hero to all of us!" Ricken practically fell to his knees to bow, his large hat covering his eyes in the process. "You give us all hope, m-myself especially," he stammered.

Soon, all members of the Shepherds followed suit and kneeled before Chrom. Their loud cheers might have petered, but their enthusiasm and vigor in equal parts electrifying and infectious. Even the khans had bowed before him. Chrom looked around the room at all of the people gathered. He was touched, seeing all his comrades and friends come together behind him. The bright smile on his face would have rivaled Naga herself. He felt his breath hitch and eyes begin to tear up, but he wiped them away as he took a deep breath.

"Thank you, everyone," he said with gratitude. "Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for all your hard work and sacrifices. And thank you for kind words. They mean more to me than you ever could know." Chrom stood up straight, now enacting his authority as their new Exalt. "Now, my Shepherds... My warriors…" he continued. "There is still work that needs to be done. King Gangrel must face his crimes. He must step aside so that peace can once again reign for not only Ylisse, but for Plegia and Regna Ferox as well. It will be difficult, and I will not force any of you to fight if you do not wish to. I intend myself to see that this tyrant is brought to justice." Chrom outstretched his hand. "But I cannot do it alone. So, my Shepherds, will you lend me your hand?"

Just like before, the room practically exploded as all who had bowed jumped to their feet and cheered with deafening ovation. The butterfly that had been trapped inside of Robin was now free, flying happily around the room, glad to be free. From within the sudden flare of jubilee, each Shepherd voiced their approval to their new Exalt.

Lissa ran up to her brother and gave him a big hug. "You can count me in, Chrom!" she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "This time, it's personal! She cracked her knuckles. "Time to start punchin' stuff!"

Maribelle winced upon hearing Lissa crack her knuckles, but she nevertheless echoed the same sentiment. "Hear, hear, darling!", she said hugging Lissa herself. "Our people have suffered enough. It's time we bring that uncouth barbarian to justice!"

Stahl smiled and once again bowed before Chrom. "Milord, I would gladly fight and die for House Ylisse!" he said.

From behind him, Sully let out a snort and pulled Stahl to his feet while laughing. "Har har! I would gladly fight and KILL those bastards for House Ylisse! I wouldn't miss this for anything!"

Libra was one of the only people in the room who remained calm. But even he couldn't help but clench his fists. "Our hearts echo yours, sire," he said peacefully. He bowed his head and clasped his hands together. "May the Divine Dragon Herself guide our hearts to victory."

Sumia hurriedly rushed before Chrom, almost tripping, but caught herself before she could. She also bowed again, like Stahl had. "I plan on seeing this to the very end, Captain! I will be the the unbreakable shield by your side!" she said, excitedly.

Cordelia stood to attention. "My sisters would have wanted me to keep going." She saluted Chrom. "The Pegasus Knights shall be faithful to the Exalt until the very end."

Somewhere within the noise, Kellam voiced his approval as well. Although nobody could pick up what he said.

A rare smile appeared on Miriel's face. "This sudden paroxysm of furor perplexes me," she said, a hint of excitedness cracking through her scholastic demeanor. But I find myself in agreement as well. It is unwise to leave an unstaunched misanthrope in a position of power."

Vaike had absolutely no idea what Miriel was talking about, judging from his bewildered face, but he shrugged it off as he ran up to Chrom and slapped him on the back. "Har har! Teach is here and class is in session!" he yelled, winking at the Exalt, who was now rubbing his shoulder. "Those Plegians won't know what hit 'em!"

Gregor walked right up to Chrom and stuck out his hand. "How much you pay Gregor?" he asked in earnest. Chrom looked at him incredulously, only for it to turn to confusion when Gregor then put his hands on his stomach and let out a belly-laugh. "Hee hee haw! Is only joke! Gregor promise to be with Sheep Herders for a bit longer." As soon as he stopped laughing, Gregor saw that Chrom clearly did not get the joke. "Er...Why you look at Gregor like that?" he asked worriedly.

Gregor almost killed the whole atmosphere of the room, but thankfully Panne then walked up to Chrom and placed her hand on his shoulder. She looked at him with the utmost seriousness in her eyes. "Exalt Emmeryn was a noble soul. For her sacrifice, she has earned my respect. I shall see to it that the last taguel champions her."

Finally, Frederick was the last one to directly address Chrom. He stood as professionally as ever: back straight and hands clasped behind his back. But he looked to the young Exalt with obvious pride. Frederick nodded towards him. "You have grown milord, both as a leader and as a man. I may have set a poor example as a knight…" Frederick hesitated a bit, but quickly looked back towards his lord with fire in his eyes and saluted. "But I swear to you, I shall die before any more exalted blood is spilled!"

Chrom began to tear up again. He looked at each and every one of their faces with such pride as a parent does to their beloved child. Never once did he think that he could ever stand in the place of Emmeryn herself. But Robin was right. With everybody in the room, his sister would live on. She wouldn't be truly gone when they were together, fighting for her ideals. And in the process, they could become something far greater than they could imagine. Even though he had doubted it at first, now for the first time in his life, Chrom began to believe that it was possible. At that moment, the sun came shone through the window, brighten the young Exalt's features.

"...Thank you all," he said warmly. "You truly humble me with your fealty." Chrom look forward confidently, eyes focused on the journey that lay before them, and beyond them. Robin smiled, seeing that his friend was back to his old self. "Now is the time," Chrom said. "We shall swiftly answer this outrage! The Mad King will be stopped! Are you ready?"

Everybody yelled back at him with a war cry. One that reverberate the stone floor they stood on. To them, it seemed as though the cry they let out carried on beyond the Shepherds. It went beyond the Great Hall, to the outskirts of Regna Ferox, through the rolling hills of Ylisse, and across the entire continent. It wasn't merely the Shepherds getting behind the new Exalt. It was all of Ylisse, all of Regna Ferox, even all of Plegia. The entire land had recognized a new leader.

Basilio let out his signature guttural laugh. "Har har! Ooh, that's hot! So hot!" he said, grinning like a madman while licking a finger and pretending to put out a match. "If I had any hair left, you would have singed it all off!" He pounded his chest. "Count me in! I've got an axe with Gangrel's name on it right here. That son of a bitch will regret he ever took any Feroxian lives!"

Flavia nodded in agreement. She looked like she also wanted to jump into battle as soon as possible. But she held herself for just a bit longer. "Right! It's time for that mutt to taste Feroxian steel!" She shook Chrom's hand. "Regna Ferox is behind Ylisse, and always will be as long as I'm in charge!" she said, cheekily winking at Basilio, who groaned. "Our entire army is ready to crash against him at your discretion."

Chrom nodded. "Understood." He turned to Robin. "What's our plan?"

Robin stepped forward. "We should head out as soon as possible. Plegia might try to go on the offensive if we lick our wounds too much. It's best if we nip them while they're still holed up at their capital in the planning stage. Luckily, since most of us are already in battle gear," Robin looked around the room and winced, remembering the escape from the Midmire, but he quickly recomposed himself, "that should shorten our preparation time."

Chrom and the khans nodded in agreement. "Good," Flavia said. "In that case, how about I lead the vanguard with Basilio and the Feroxian army to soften their defenses? Then the Shepherds can go right for the throat."

Robin grinned. "Sounds good to me. What do you think, Commander?"

"We begin now," Chrom said, immediately.

Flavia laughed. "Decisive! I like that! You've quite grown since the first time I met the both of you. Very well, I'll see you shortly then!" Flavia walked away, presumably to gather the Feroxian army.

* * *

The mass of people had suddenly turned to a blur as the Shepherds piled out of the Great Hall. With grins on their faces and newfound hope rekindled, they set off to prepare for the upcoming battle. Although it would certainly not be easy, nobody minded. They would win. No matter what stood in their way

Robin looked over his notes one last time, almost ready to join the exodus of people when suddenly...

"E-excuse me?"

Something akin to a whisper came from behind him. He turned around and saw the woman with pink hair who had helped them escape from the Midmire the past day. Olivia was her name, he remembered. Now that they were no longer inside a dark, wet boneyard, Robin was better able to get a closer look at her. Her previously scraggly and soaked hair had dried and was neatened to where it looked surprisingly presentable considering the circumstances, styled into two long pigtails and an equally long ponytail held back by a patterned bandana. She was wearing a pure white, long, silky dress adorned with golden jewelry. Robin assumed it was some kind of dancer's outfit.

"S-sorry for bothering you…" she said sheepishly. Olivia turned bright red and seemed to struggle to get the words out of her mouth, but she looked at him in the eyes with a fire unmistakably present in all of them at the moment.

Robin smiled at her. "Oh hello. Olivia, was it?" She nodded. "Don't worry, you're not bothering me." Robin closed his book. "Is there something you need?"

Olivia shifted her feet. "Um, w-well, I would like to go too, with the Shepherds. I-if you'll have me, that is," she volunteered.

Robin blinked with mild surprise. "Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes!" Olivia responded back with conviction, eyes turning nostalgic. "Exalt Emmeryn had shown me kindness before. I'd like to honor her memory by helping to deliver the justice she deserves."

Olivia was practically giving Robin her best pleading look. Her eyes looked like they were about to tear up at any second. Her lips also slightly quivered, awaiting his answer.

Robin smirked awkwardly. He couldn't let this girl down.

"Well, I'm afraid I don't make that call. I'm just the tactician," he explained. "I don't make the decision whether or not somebody can join the Shepherds."

Olivia's heart fell. She looked to the floor and sighed.

"BUT-" Her head picked up again. "I know for a fact that if Chrom were here," Robin said, looking around for said man, "he would absolutely let you join our ranks. His policy is that he never leaves anybody behind." Robin grinned again. So if you're sure that you want to come with us, then I see no reason why you shouldn't myself."

Olivia beamed. "Oh thank you!" she exclaimed. Olivia laughed, excited at the prospects of this new path for her. But she then looked to the floor and blushed again. "A-although, I'm not a fighter. All I can only really do is dance." She clasped one hand on her arm. "And even then, I-I'm nothing special, so…"

She couldn't finish her sentence. Basilio suddenly came up behind them let out his trademark belly-laugh. "Oh, knock it off with the self-deprecation!" he said, putting his hand on Olivia's shoulder. She jumped a little at the sudden motion, but quickly settled down. Basilio turned to Robin and smiled with pride. "Olivia is a jewel of Regna Ferox. You would be daft not to let her join you." Basilio turned back to Olivia and nodded. "I think it is in your best interest to join Commander Chrom and company. Your talents would certainly be an asset to their team."

Olivia stared at the khan in shock. What did he just say? She needed this? And she had something to offer such an elite group?

Before she could peep out a word, Robin laughed and shrugged. "I'll take your word for it, Khan Basilio." Robin excused himself and walked out of the Great Hall. Olivia wondered where he could have gone, but a few minutes later, she saw him come back with Exalt Chrom.

Chrom smiled at her. "Robin tells me that you wanted to join us?" Olivia paled, intimidated that she was now addressing the new Exalt of Ylisse. But she nodded.

"And Khan Basilio had also given you a recommendation?" he asked, turning his attention to him.

Basilio laughed and nodded. "Yes, yes! Just take her already!"

"Very well then," Chrom reached his hand out to her. "Welcome to the Shepherds, Lady Olivia."

Olivia's face flushed with so much redness, it looked ready to explode at any moment. Her eyes bulged out of her skull and any words that came out of her mouth were incomprehensible. Still, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of pride. Joining an elite group of Ylissean fighters with their Exalt as the leader? How could this be happening?

Olivia wordlessly shook Chrom's hand, her own feeling flimsy in the firm grip of the training-daily Exalt's. Chrom told her to go prepare with the other Shepherds and that they would get back to her later regarding her battlefield engagement. He and Basilio then walked off together towards the Khan's chambers, presumably to plan. Olivia watched them go, standing in place on the warm stone floor of the Great Hall. She stood there a bit longer, feeling the sun peeking through the windows warm her up as she contemplated the situation.

Suddenly, she heard somebody calling her name. She turned her attention to the entrance where Robin, the tactician, was standing holding the two large wooden doors open with his body. The mid-afternoon sunshine spilled into the room. Olivia walked over to him as Robin motioned her to follow him.

"The rest of the Shepherds are eager to meet you," he said, leading the way.

Olivia stood at the doorway. The Shepherds were together, preparing the carriages and their mounts. Robin joined them, waving to Lissa as she enthusiastically greeted him before putting him to work loading the carriages with crates full of supplies. The atmosphere around the whole group felt more like a party than that of a preparation for battle. Olivia continued to watch the group as they helped each other out, sang, laughed, told stories, and otherwise enjoyed the company of their comrades. She noticed that even Lon'qu, with whom she was acquainted with, had a rare, faint smile.

Olivia had suddenly noticed that she too was smiling. Whether by her own volition or becoming influenced by others, she did not know why. But watching the Shepherds simply talk and interact with each other, she couldn't help but feel a sense of longing. Perhaps this was what Basilio had meant when he wanted her to go with them? She first thought it was to train to get stronger, but maybe he meant it in a different way?

Olivia wanted to go out and join them, but her feet refused to listen to her brain. She stood where she was, stuck in place as she continued to watching the jovial Shepherds. Olivia noticed that her breathing had become faster, which made it worse now that she was aware. Her chest tightened and her face once again flushed cherry-red.

She realized that she was too demure to join them. Feeling a wave of disappointment come over her, Olivia looked down at her hands and sighed. She scoffed at herself for being so afraid. Twiddling her thumbs, she wondered why they would want somebody like her? A nobody that couldn't fight to save her life. Surely, she would bring nothing to the table. They could just leave her here and nobody would be affected.

At the same time though, Olivia began to feel sad. She had nobody around her, besides the khans, that she could consider a close friend. This was her best shot at forming genuine friendships that she desperately craved. It was what she wanted most of all. It was what Lady Emmeryn would have wanted her to do.

But if only she wasn't too scared to do so.

Olivia sighed again, feeling worthless. All of a sudden, her ears perked up at the sound of Robin calling her name again. She looked up and saw him running up to her. She cringed, fearing he would draw attention to her. Robin was smiling, but upon seeing the worry and embarrassment plastered all over her face, he grew concerned.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently.

Olivia couldn't speak to him. She simply nodded at him. An obvious lie, and he knew it.

Robin was confused that Olivia would not face him or speak to him. He thought he might have offended her. Something that he said that must have made her uncomfortable.

But he took a glance at her face and realized that she was blushing. At that moment, Robin realized that Olivia was a lot shyer than he thought she was. He had an inkling of an idea when she first approached him, but now it was much more apparent.

While he did not understand her embarrassment, he empathized with her feeling doubtful. Robin knelt down to her eye level to address her directly.

"You know," he spoke softly, "I was also nervous when I first joined the Shepherds."

Olivia looked up at him, her purple eyes slowly becoming more curious.

"You probably heard me tell Chrom this earlier, but I was powerless back then. I had absolutely nothing attached to my name. And In many ways, I am still powerless and have a lot to learn. But I also know that I am among a wonderful group of men and women who will see to it that I grow alongside them as we face down our challenges together." Robin stood up, smoothed out his cloak, and smiled again. "Thanks to the Shepherds, I am person who I am today. If wasn't for them, I don't know where I would be. And since you are one of us now, I can assure you that we will offer you the same support and guidance."

Robin turned his back to go back to the group, but looked over his shoulder. "I can help introduce you to the rest of the Shepherds. Or you can do it by yourself. Whatever makes you more comfortable."

After a brief period of hesitation and mulling over his words, Olivia took a deep breath. She walked through those doors, still feeling the nervousness, but feeling it drip away little by little as Robin led their newest recruit to be welcomed by the rest of the Shepherds.

* * *

A/N: Yikes! It's been a while since I updated. I want to extend a sincere apology to all those who I kept waiting. School has been especially rough for me this year, and since I plan to apply to veterinary school within the coming months, the pressure is on for me. I realized that I said that I have a few themes on the backlog just in case. But I really wanted to follow up my first chapter with the second part of _Awakening_ 's Chapter 10 because it is one of the most pivotal moments in the game.

But enough with the excuses. Thank you to all who followed, favorited, and reviewed my first chapter. You guys really made my day! Thank you so much for your patience these last few months. I hope you'll find that it has been rewarded.

Buuuut...just in case you feel it has not, I can promise that I WILL release another chapter within the next few days or so. I don't normally make promises, and I don't expect to again, but I feel so bad about not updating for such a long time that I figured I owe you.

Now, as for this chapter itself, I wanted to explain the relationship between Ylisse and Regna Ferox. In the original game, there is no defined history between the two. Just that they're allies against a common enemy. So my twist is that these two countries have been allies for millenia. Ever since they were first founded during the Schism, as evidenced by the ancient Great Hall being a hybrid of both Ylissean and Feroxian design. This would also explain why Ferox is still on good terms with Ylisse despite Chrom, Lissa, and Emmeryn's father being a not-so-good Exalt.

Speaking of omissions, in the scene where all of the Shepherds come together to support Chrom, some characters do not have any lines. Specifically Miriel, Gaius, and Cordelia. Why they were left out, I have no idea. So for all of their fans out there, I put them back in. They were pretty fun to write. Although no Donnel or Anna, which was honestly because I did not put them in the first chapter, and it would be off putting if they were included here. Heh heh, sorry…

Also, first scene of just Robin and Olivia! Wooo! At first, I made this scene a bit more angsty, but I decided against it due to wanting to keep the mood more positive and hopeful since, well, that's what it was in the original game. So I kept it that way. But you'll probably see that angsty scene in the future. ;) I really liked it, and would hate to just throw it all away.

That about does it for me. Again, thank you all so much for being so patient. I'm droning on and on at this point, but I can't thank you enough for being so nice to me. Like I said, this is the first time I am submitting a creative work, and I'm glad to see that you guys like it.

See you around!

\- KeziaVolition


	3. Chapter 3 - Slow Down

3\. Slow Down

 _Support Level: C_

* * *

"Alright Olivia, how's this?" Robin asked, inching a little closer to her.

"Um, that's fine" she replied back, trying to not turn pink. The two of them sat together on a small wooden bench. Robin on one end, Olivia on the other. Beforehand, the dancer had admitted to him that she had a problem socializing with other people. She was, as Maribelle would have described it, as shy and meek as a mouse. And much to her embarrassment, she felt uncomfortable simply being in the presence of another person. Finding the courage to actually communicate with somebody was a whole other level of difficulty.

Fortunately, she found herself able to have short, infrequent conversations with Robin. Nothing as long or meaningful as she would have liked, but it was at least something. Olivia couldn't pin what exactly it was about him that made her feel at ease, but she felt a bit more comfortable around the tactician than any of the other Shepherds.

Today however, Robin offered to help her overcome her shyness by practicing getting used to his presence. While Olivia agreed, she did not quite know how to feel about the situation. She was already embarrassed that she told Robin about her problem in the first place. But now that he wanted to help her, she was terrified of the possibility of humiliating herself in front of him. Or even worse, embarrassing Robin in the process. Gods know what he might think of her then.

But as much as Olivia had her reservations, she wanted to prove to herself that she could rise to the occasion. That she could be comfortable around other people and talk to them like a normal functioning human being should be able to. At the very least, she was doing this with Robin. If anybody was willing to be patient with her, it would be him.

* * *

Still, Olivia could feel her heart starting to beat a little faster and her palms getting more and more clammy as Robin shuffled closer. "How about this?" he asked plainly. He was now about half of the way to her.

Olivia gulped and looked away in the opposite direction. She paused for a few painful seconds. "Y-you're okay," she croaked finally. She started fumbling with her hands and jewelry, trying to keep her nerves from getting the best of her.

Robin could see that she was struggling to maintain her composure. Feeling guilty, he backed off a bit. "Are you sure?" he asked, leaning forward in his seat, holding his head up with his hand. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"N-no! Really, I'm fine!" she blurted out much louder than she intended. Robin blinked in surprise. Silently chastising herself, Olivia couldn't help but feel like a fool. She hated having to harbor so much discomfort just from simply sitting next to one person. And this was Robin! He wasn't a total stranger, or even somebody like Tharja or Virion who were sometimes a little too overwhelming for her to handle at times. Robin made sure she felt as appreciated and resourceful just as much as anybody else in or outside of battle. He went above and beyond to give her a place on the battlefield and compliment and praise her work in general. And those were only a few of the things he had done to make her feel more welcome, whether he realized it or not.

However, a stray thought crossed into Olivia's mind that told her that she couldn't tell if Robin truly wanted to help her with her shyness, or if he was there strictly for business. Like it was some tactical necessity for Olivia to resolve her issues in order to not become a liability for the Shepherds. She gulped. Would having somebody like her in an army would be a cause for concern?

Robin did mention at times that the invisible ties that kept the Shepherds together was what gave them strength. But if somebody like herself who could barely bring themselves to talk to people, much less connect with them, was a member then surely she would hold everybody back. She offered nothing for the Shepherds. Because of her, they would only get worse. Was she really that useless?

That thought saddened Olivia, and made her a bit more nervous around Robin. She didn't want to doubt his intentions, but she also didn't know that much about him to tell if he was being sincere.

Olivia took a deep breath. She calmed herself down a bit and tried to block out any thoughts plaguing her mind. Her mother had once taught her that if she ever had any moments where anxiety started to creep up, she should try to redirect her focus on accomplishing a different task to let out all that pent up energy, if not deter it completely. In that moment, Olivia decided that if she was going to improve, then she had to physically force herself to do it. " _Oooh, I hate this! But...okay…"_ she thought, mentally preparing herself.

Olivia hesitated for a few moments, but she started to move in closer towards Robin herself. Taking slow and pained movements, she positioned herself about a foot away from him. Olivia locked her gaze tightly on the ground. Her face turned bright red, but she exhaled all the breath that she was holding in as a shy, faint smile appeared on her face.

* * *

Robin was surprised. He had no idea how much of a problem Olivia's anxiety was. If this session with her was any indication, then she possibly had a long road ahead of her. However, he could see that she was determined to change. And she was very brave too. In Robin's experience, she couldn't manage to be in the presence of Chrom for more than a few seconds without excusing herself and running away. Even when she was dancing, something that she loved to do, the minute any performance of hers was over, she would waste no time fleeing from her audiences.

Yet somehow, Olivia forced herself to not only get close to him, but to stay put as well. Her unexpected bit of confidence was a pleasant surprise to Robin. Although from what her body language was telling him, it was taking a lot out of her to do something like this. But helping her now felt a lot more rewarding.

Robin smiled to himself. Taking a bit of a chance, he inched a little bit closer to Olivia. She didn't move away, nor did she ask him to. But Olivia flinched and she started to visibly quiver a bit.

"Uh, u-um!" she whimpered.

Robin immediately backed off. "Too fast?" he asked.

Olivia didn't answer. She merely looked back at him weakly for a second before turning away and hanging her head in shame.

Robin smiled sympathetically. "I'll take that as a yes."

Olivia's head immediately shot back upwards to face him. "Wait! Th-that's not-"

"It's okay, Olivia," he gently reassured her, putting his hands up. "I'm not offended. If you don't feel comfortable taking it any further, I won't force you." He stood up and dusted himself off. "We can end today's session now if you want."

"Robin, wait!" Olivia exclaimed. Without thinking, Olivia reached up, and grabbed Robin's hand. He looked at her with surprise as she pulled him back down onto the bench. "I-I still want to continue" she said, quickly withdrawing her hand away from his. Pausing for a moment, Olivia took another deep breath of courage and moved in closer, this time to the point where their shoulders and legs touched.

Robin felt his own face become warm, but he didn't object. Although he did gain more of an interest in watching the ant hole beside his feet. Shuffling his boots uncomfortably, he prayed that nobody walking by would get the wrong message. Olivia too had turned her head away from him and looked at the ground like she had before. She started fidgeting with her hands again and her toes clenched tightly at her sandals, also silently hoping that none of the other Shepherds would notice them sitting here.

An awkward silence settled in after a couple of seconds. If Olivia wasn't embarrassed already, then she certainly was now. She continued to admire the grass and started to lightly kick at the dirt by her feet while Robin coughed and ran a hand through his hair. Olivia looked up briefly to see how close she was to him. They were indeed close, but positioned rigidly to keep some form of space between them. Olivia could feel Robin's shoulders and legs barely touching her own. Otherwise, they kept their distance, hands to themselves, feet glued to the ground, and not making eye contact. The sounds of birds chirping, cicadas calling out to each other, swords clashing, and the occasional yells and grunts from the other Shepherds in combat training were the only sounds that filled the silent gap between the two. Olivia began to feel guilty that, instead of helping her like he planned to, Robin was now baking in the sun, not accomplishing anything all thanks to her.

She exhaled. "Um, Robin?" Olivia peeped quietly.

Robin forgot about his ant hill and turned back to her. "Yes, Olivia?"

Olivia looked away from him and rubbed her fingers together. "Are...are you, um, a-are you okay?" she asked nervously.

Robin certainly wasn't feeling his coolest at that moment. He wondered if Olivia's anxiety was contagious, because he was feeling just as, if not more, tense than she was. But despite that, he was absolutely determined to see this through. Robin felt that if Olivia could open up to more people, than it could possibly make her not only more confident in her abilities, but also happier with who she was. He felt that was what she needed most of all. Plus, the worrying look she was giving him Robin feel absolutely terrible for bringing her out here and forcing her into an uncomfortable situation. So, clearing his throat, Robin gave her the best genuine, but still nervous smile he could manage.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine" he said. Olivia wasn't convinced that he truly was, but for his sake, she decided to let it slide. Robin readjusted his coat and tried to keep the conversation flowing. "Are we going too fast?" he asked, "We can slow down if you want."

Olivia shook her head. "N-no, I think this is fine." she said.

Robin nodded. "Hm. Okay then. How about we take one step further?" He tried not to choke on his next words and hoped that what he was suggesting wasn't too stressful for her. "How about you try to maintain eye contact with me?"

Olivia's heart almost dropped upon hearing that.

"Not for too long!" Robin quickly added. "I don't want to force you into this. Only if you're willing to do so."

Feeling her stomach tie itself in knots, Olivia started to have second thoughts on agreeing to this training session. The woods she looked off to were looking awfully inviting right now. She felt herself get up a little from her seat, but stopped as soon as she heard a faint, but worried gasp coming from the man beside her. Olivia's shoulders drooped. She didn't want to hurt his feelings. So, taking yet another deep breath, and planting her feet _firmly_ to ground, Olivia slowly forced herself to turn her head away from the ground and looked right into the tactician's eyes. "Okay. L-like this?" she asked.

Floored, Robin was caught off-guard yet again. Olivia once again proved she was not to be underestimated: she managed to get within a hand's length away from his face. His own face turned red as he averted his eyes. "Er, yeah!"

Strangely enough, Olivia giggled at his response. She had never seen him embarrassed before today. Normally she saw Robin as this confident, but stoic intellectual. It was both amusing and oddly humbling to see him struggle with social interaction like she herself did. It made her feel more...normal, for lack of a better term.

Robin let out another nervous laugh in response as he turned back to Olivia. Her face was as flushed as ever, but she managed to keep her gaze on him. It was as if they were having some sort of staring contest. Each of them could tell that the other was just as embarrassed as they were, but they managed to maintain eye contact. Several minutes went by, but they still kept at it. Whether either Robin or Olivia realized it, there was something about this scenario that kept either of them from ending their session right then and there. Maybe it was the fact that they did not want to leave the other person unfulfilled, determined to keep this up for as long as possible, or simply perhaps of the sheer bizarreness of the situation.

Whatever it was, Robin could feel himself becoming more relaxed the longer he held Olivia's gaze. Her infectious anxiety had since faded, and there was something about the girl at that moment that made her seem a lot more kind and courteous than before. He smiled warmly. Olivia looked away for a few seconds, but she smiled back, brushing the hair out of her eyes before returning his gaze. She too was feeling a lot better than she was before.

They sat there for a little while longer, keeping their eyes on each other until Olivia started to feel her nerves getting the better of her again. She sure was _awfully_ close to him… Seeing the discomfort starting to creep back onto her face, Robin pulled away and stood up. "Alright, I think that's enough for today" he said, managing another nervous smile.

Olivia nodded in agreement. "O-okay!"

"I have say, I'm very impressed, Olivia," Robin said. "You did much better than I thought you were going to do." After realizing what he had said, his eyes went wide and his face turned red again. "Not that I doubted you!" he said, flustered. "I just..."

Olivia giggled again. "I know what you meant, Robin." She quickly stood up alongside him. "And thank you. That means a lot."

For a bit, neither of them had anything to say. They simply stood still, not uttering a word. Robin put his hands into his coat pockets and swayed back and forth on the tops and bottoms of his feet, feeling the breeze of the wind on the back of his neck. Olivia looked down at the ground and rubbed her fingers together sheepishly, one foot twisting into the ground. Suddenly, Robin cleared his throat and spoke up.

"Well I have some more work I have to do. But I'd be more than happy to help you out again another time. Well, if you don't mind, that is" he said.

"Of course," Olivia said with a smile. "I'll see you later, Robin."

Robin nodded and waved her goodbye. They both went their separate ways. Olivia watched Robin as he went back into his own tent. Returning to hers, Olivia plopped back onto her cot and exhaled deeply into her pillow. She was exhausted. Building up all that willpower to not flee took a lot out of her. She came very close to running away and losing all progress. But she didn't, and she was proud of herself for that. Robin certainly was very considerate to put up with her for nothing but her own sake. Now she was reassured that she could count on him to make her feel more comfortable.

Further sinking into her pillow and feeling the last of her energy seep into the fabric, Olivia could still picture Robin's face as if she was still staring at him. Her last thought before closing her eyes and falling asleep was of how cute he was when he was flustered.

* * *

A/N: Not going to lie, when I first wrote this many months ago, I hated it. I thought it was generic, stupid, corny, and downright horrific. I was embarrassed that I would willingly write something like this.

But you know what? I got over myself.

I didn't like it BECAUSE it was corny. Because it was more slice-of-life. Because it was a different style of writing than I am used to. But I realized that is exactly what Fire Emblem support conversations are (for the most part). They are (mostly) written with that in mind so you get to know the characters and connect with them on a more human level. Whether or not any particular conversation hits or misses that varies. But, to pay tribute to one of my favorite game series, I decided to not scrap it.

You've probably noticed that in this chapter's header, Robin and Olivia are around Support Level C. As of this chapter onwards, I'm going to put a support level in the header so that you won't be confused as to what level their relationship is at.

Similarly, I realize that this chapter skips ahead of the previous ones. I understand if that causes confusion, but from also from this chapter onwards, these themes will jump around _Awakening_ 's story and numerous points in the pair's relationship. I said that at the start, this would be the case. But I thought that giving a heads-up wouldn't hurt.

As a brief mention, I forgot to address in the previous chapter that I furthered the butterfly motif from _Awakening_. I know that it is mostly Lucina's thing, but I feel that it was a bit underutilized. So I wanted to include more of it.

\- KeziaVolition


End file.
